The Magnificent Century: The Prince's Pleasure Slave
by RichardJ
Summary: The young Prince Mustafa has reached the age where he can have a harem of his own. His mother selects two girls from the Imperial Harem for her son. But not everything goes smoothly and an impassioned clash of wills is fought out in the privacy of the prince's rooms. Both the prince and his new pleasure slave are determined to win the battle. Can both parties win?
1. A mother's dilemma

Tims Productions are acknowledged as the creators of The Magnificent Century (Muhteşem Yüzyil) series.

Constantinople, 1530.

1\. A mother's dilemma

"Doesn't he like girls?" enquires Hatice.

"Yes, of course he likes them," replies Mahidevran, miffed that her management of her son's upbringing has attracted the close attention of Sultan Suleiman's sister.

"So what's the problem?" asks Hatice. "Why are Aybige and Sadika so upset? You were so careful to choose two girls who would appeal to Mustafa."

Unfortunately Hatice is correct. Sultan Suleiman had ordered that two girls be selected from his harem and given to his son Mustafa on his fifteenth birthday. Mustafa's own private harem of two. As Mustafa's mother, the duty of selecting the girls fell to Mahidevran. She had spent days choosing two girls from the Imperial Harem who would be suitable concubines for her son.

"I worry that Mustafa spends too much time training with the soldiers to understand the more intimate arts of sexual relationships," concedes Mahidevran. "I wish it were otherwise, but Sultan Suleiman insists Mustafa must become an accomplished military leader. I'm in a dilemma."

"If Mustafa is to one day rule the Ottoman Empire, then his military training is essential," says Hatice.

"Yes, I know," replies Mahidevran. "But siring sons is just as important for the future of the dynasty. I'm sure he likes Aybige and Sadika, but he is so rough with them. I can't help feeling he forgets that they aren't like his sparring partners on the training ground."

"If that's all, then I wouldn't worry. So what if Mustafa gets a little over excited when he's aroused? A couple of bruised slave girls is nothing to get concerned about. Tell the girls toughen up and stop their whining."

If it was only that simple. Mahidevran has seen the bruises on Aybige and Sadika. They can't simply be dismissed as the result of over-enthusiastic play during the heat of passion. Sadika also tells a harrowing tale of physical abuse when she's been alone in Mustafa's company. Both girls are from respectable families and have been trained in the gentler arts of love and seduction. But neither girl is physically able to match Mustafa's strength. Even if they could, they are his concubines, so they must submit to his desires.

Mahidevran realises that there isn't much she can do now that Aybige and Sadika officially belong to Mustafa. They are Mustafa's personal slaves, even though they live in the Imperial Harem alongside Sultan Suleiman's slaves. Perhaps Mahidevran should arrange for Aybige and Sadika to be moved to a separate suite in the harem. Their injuries are too easily noticed by the other girls, and the gossip has already reached Hatice's ears. It won't be long before the Valide hears as well. Sultan Suleiman may be ruler of a mighty empire, but it is his mother, the Valide, who rules this harem.

Mahidevran would be even more worried had she known that Sadika had already complained to the Valide about her treatment at Mustafa's hands. It was a foolish thing for Sadika to do, since the Valide would naturally take her grandson's side against the complaints of a mere concubine. However, the Valide has years of experience in managing a harem, so she doesn't dismiss Sadika's complaint out of hand. Instead she summons Mahidevran to a private audience in the Valide's suite.

"You are aware of Sadika's complaints against Mustafa, I presume?" asks the Valide of Mahidevran.

"Yes, Valide," says Mahidevran. "Although I'm sure she is exaggerating."

"Perhaps. But the bruises on her body seem real enough. Too many large bruises to dismiss as being the result of an accident."

"What do you wish me to do?" asks Mahidevran, hoping the Valide might suggest a solution to her problem.

"Your son's education and training is your responsibility, Mahidevran," replies the Valide. "Your efforts to introduce him to the arts of sexual relationships have so far proved unsatisfactory. I will deal with Sadika. You must deal with Mustafa."

"We can't have Sadika spreading her lies around the harem," adds Mahidevran. "Mustafa's reputation will be tarnished."

"Yes. I know," replies the Valide. "Don't worry about Sadika. She will no longer be a problem."

None of the girls in the harem ever finds out what becomes of Sadika. Even Aybige knows better than to enquire. If anything, it reminds her that nobody is interested in a slave girl's complaints. It is possible that Sadika was transferred to one of the imperial family's many smaller palaces in some remote part of the empire. More than likely, though, she was quietly killed by one of the agas; the male eunuchs who police the harem. It's one of the greatest fears among the girls in the harem. Their lives belong to the Ottoman dynasty, and as such, they can be executed at the whim of their owners.

Mahidevran simply tells Mustafa that Sadika was an unsatisfactory consort for a prince and that she is to be replaced. Had Mustafa been older and wiser, he would have questioned why his mother had removed a concubine from his harem without his consent. But in truth, he is a novice in such matters and to him Sadika was simply an easily replaced object to be used for his gratification. A mere pleasure slave. He will miss her though. She was pretty enough, and she did make an effort to comply with his desires. But she had a tendency to cry far too easily. He particularly liked the way she showed genuine fear when he was aroused. That fear fuelled his desire even more, and drove him to be even rougher in her handling. Perhaps he had been a little too rough with Sadika, but that is his princely prerogative.

Mustafa recalls that Aybige seems to manage rough handling somewhat better, although he suspects her display of fear is less genuine. If Mustafa was more attuned to the emotions of his bed partner, he would have realised that Aybige's reaction was not one of fear, but of pure hatred. But both hate and fear amounted to the same thing in Mustafa's mind. It is the resistance to his desires that drives him wild with lust. A resistance which he enjoys overcoming by brute force. He is the master of these girls and they must be made to accept his dominion.

"When will Sadika's replacement arrive?" asks Mustafa of his mother.

"The Valide is helping me choose a girl today," replies Mahidevran.

"Why can't I select the girl?" asks Mustafa.

"The girls belong to your father. You know you aren't permitted to enter the main part of the harem."

"Then select a few and bring them here so that I may choose one."

"Neither the Valide nor your father will permit that. It's only with the Valide's consent that I'm allowed to select a replacement for Sadika. She could have easily refused. Your father may still object should he find out. When she arrives, it's important that you claim the girl's virginity as soon as possible. You father won't attempt to take her back once she's had sex with you."

Mustafa isn't happy. He secretly vows to make the his new pleasure slave pay for his mother's refusal of his perfectly reasonable request. Mahidevran may be his mother, but she is still only a slave. She's not even his father's favourite concubine any more. That title belongs to Mustafa's younger half-brothers' mother, Hürrem.

Mahidevran is unconcerned about her son's plans for his new concubine. She has much bigger concerns. With the Valide's help, Mahidevran must do the impossible, and find a concubine capable of enduring and calming Mustafa's violent tendencies. The choice will be difficult. Now that Sultan Suleiman has declared his love and affection for Hürrem, the number of trained concubines in the Imperial Harem has dwindled to only a handful. Over the last year or two, many of the former concubines have been married off to suitable husbands and have left the harem. Most of the remaining concubines are far too old to be a suitable concubine for Mustafa.

Of course, other alternatives are open to the Valide and Mahidevran. There are a few young girls in the Imperial Harem who are being trained to be a concubine. Their training is being continued just in case Sultan Suleiman should die unexpectedly, and a new sultan ... probably Mustafa ... requires the sexual services of his newly acquired harem. Once those girls complete their training then some of them may be suitable consorts for Mustafa. But the oldest girl in this group is still only eleven years old, and has only recently reached puberty. It will be a long time before she is anything like ready to handle Mustafa's antics in the bedroom. Mahidevran needs a concubine immediately.

The second option is to simply have a suitable girl secretly purchased from one of the abundant slave markets in Constantinople. But that option is fraught with problems. Secrecy is essential but difficult to achieve. The girl must be from a good family, and be well versed in proper behaviour. Something which is impossible to verify in an open market and slave dealers are notorious liars. The chances of finding a suitable girl in one of the local flesh markets are minimal.

The third option is to select a girl from the large number of odalisques in the harem. These girls carry out the mundane chores, ranging from the laundry to the daily cleaning of the harem. They are the drudges who keep the palace clean and pleasant to live in. They are all from good families, but they lack either the beauty or the intelligence to be considered good enough to be trained as a concubine. Normally an odalisque serves in the harem for seven years before being granted her freedom. Most then accept an arranged marriage, but several have chosen to remain as servants in the Imperial Harem.

It's this third group that receives a quick inspection by the Valide and Mahidevran. Most odalisques are quickly eliminated as unsuitable, but six are considered good enough for closer consideration. The Valide summons the six chosen girls to one of the smaller rooms of the harem. Without telling the girls why, the Valide and Mahidevran question each girl, and have the harem physician conduct a medical examination. After an hour of gruelling work, the Valide and Mahidevran decide that a sixteen year old girl named Safie is the most promising candidate. The other five girls are dismissed and Safie's interrogation begins in earnest. Eventually Safie is dismissed and told to report to the chief aga's office later this afternoon.

In Mahidevran's mind, Safie isn't an ideal choice. She's too muscular to be considered pretty ... which is probably why she wasn't selected to be trained as a concubine in the first place. Still, that may prove to be an advantage. Perhaps she'll be more resilient to Mustafa's games. On the positive side, she's of the right age and her body is well proportioned. She's reasonably intelligent, although her education needs to be improved if she's going to be a long term consort for Mustafa. But the long term is something Mahidevran can worry about another day.

The Valide and Mahidevran review the outcome of Safie's interview. Most of it simply confirmed what was already in the harem records. Safie's father was a military commander under King Louis of Hungary. He surrendered at the Battle of the Mohács four years ago. In exchange for his freedom he gifted his eldest daughter to Sultan Suleiman. It's a common practise demanded from newly subjugated leaders. Knowing that one of their offspring is held in the Imperial Harem, and at the mercy of the sultan, tends to dampen any residual resistance to Ottoman rule.

The Valide questions the chief aga about Safie's work in the harem. His report suggests her work is satisfactory without being exceptional. In the chief aga's opinion, had it not been for today's events, Safie was unlikely to rise much higher in the harem hierarchy. The Valide must accept the chief aga's opinion since the abilities and aspirations of an odalisque are beneath the Valide's notice. Safie had probably been hoping to be given her freedom in another three or four years. If that's so, then those hopes are now well and truly dashed. Either Safie succeeds in becoming one of Mustafa's concubines, or she will suffer the same fate as Sadika.


	2. On a leash

2\. On a leash  


Safie is deeply troubled by this morning's events. For the last four years she's been living a lie. Now she fears that the Valide has discovered her subterfuge. If she's been found out, then Safie has condemned not only herself to a brutal death, but her family as well. Safie nearly confessed everything this morning under the wilting interrogation of the Valide and the sultana. It took all her willpower to resist.

General Hertschell had indeed surrendered at the Battle of the Mohács four years ago; and he had willingly offered the freedom of his daughter in exchange for his release. Only it wasn't the general's daughter who was handed over to the Ottoman forces. It was Safie. The daughter of a labourer who lived in the same town as the general. Safie had the misfortune to be about the same age, and have the same colour hair, as the general's daughter. One of the general's aides had threatened the lives of her family if they didn't play along. The twelve year old Safie had to pretend to be the general's daughter and meekly surrender herself into a life of slavery. For the sake of her family, Safie has had to keep up the pretence ever since in case word reaches the general of her betrayal. So far she has succeeded in keeping her head down and not standing out. She knows that if she's well behaved, then she might be released in a few years and be allowed to return home.

Her friends among the odalisques are equally mystified by what is happening. None of them can offer any reason for the Valide's sudden interest in Safie. She'll just have to do as she is told, and hope that everything works out. As instructed, Safie pays a visit to the harem baths before reporting to the chief aga's office. He escorts Safie to a room on the upper level of the harem. She recognises it as one of the rooms reserved as living quarters for the sultan's favourite concubines. Rooms which are little used these days. Mahidevran and Hürrem now live in the Royal Wing and the sultan has forsaken other concubines.

"This is Aybige," says the chief aga. "Aybige, meet Safie. She's been sent to replace Sadika. This room is now the home of Prince Mustafa's personal harem."

Safie looks surprised. She's heard about the two girls who were given to Prince Mustafa on his fifteenth birthday, but she hasn't given them any further thought. Until now. It's the first indication she's been given about why she's been removed from her normal duties. The two girls exchange a brief greeting.

"I don't understand," says Safie to the chief aga. "I've not been trained to be a concubine."

"Nevertheless you are now Prince Mustafa's concubine. Sadika proved to be unsatisfactory. Let us hope for all our sakes that you can do better. You and Aybige are expected to perform an important service for Prince Mustafa. He is now a man, and is in need of manly possessions. Sultan Suleiman has ordered that two concubines be given to Prince Mustafa to advance his education in the arts of sexual relations between a man and a woman. Do you understand what I mean?"

"I think so," replies Safie. "You expect us to help teach the prince how to get pleasure from intercourse with a woman."

"I think he already knows how to do that," laughs the chief aga. "But he is inexperienced, and he seems to lack a good technique. His skills need to be refined. You two are to provide what is necessary to ensure the prince's skills in that area are properly developed."

Aybige winces. It's as though the chief aga's words have triggered an unpleasant memory. Safie has a sudden flash of nerves. She never anticipated anything like this happening to her. Until this afternoon she had rarely thought about having sex while she was living in the Imperial Harem. Only the girls selected to be concubines were ever fortunate enough to enjoy such intimate pleasures. Odalisques like Safie must normally resign themselves to their own imagination, and, for some, the occasional furtive relationship with another girl.

Safie has never told anybody here about her sexual experiences before her enslavement. When she arrived here, everyone simply assumed she was too young for such things. Nevertheless she is able to recall what she has learned. When she was growing up, she lived in a small house shared with three of her father's brothers and their children. Safie never slept in a bed that wasn't shared with at least three of her cousins. Their house was too small for separate male and female children's bedrooms. Consequently Safie is very familiar with the male anatomy. Despite her tender age, she was a willing participant in her cousins' strange games which caused funny feelings deep inside her. Pleasurable feelings. So much so, that Safie initiated some of the games just to experience those feelings once again. Her cousins were careful not to go too far, although it was nothing short of a miracle that Safie was still a virgin when the dreaded day of her enslavement came around.

Before being ripped from her home, Safie had helped her father, uncles and cousins in their work. She did a lot of the fetching and carrying. Activities which developed her muscles until she could out-wrestle any boy her age. Even after her initiation into the Imperial Harem, Safie's strength meant she was given the heavy carrying tasks around the harem. Safie's muscles aren't as bulging as they once were, but they are still more developed than those of any other girl in the harem. Given her physical attributes, Safie is puzzled by her selection as Prince Mustafa's concubine. She's excited though. Until now, she hadn't realised how much she has missed the intimate games she used to play with her cousins. Her thighs are tingling and the faint odour of her arousal is in danger of distracting her.

"This will be your living quarters when Prince Mustafa doesn't require your services," says the chief aga. "You will be sharing it with Aybige. Be ready at all times in case the prince calls for your services. I will have a couple of suitable dresses sent up for you to use until you can afford to buy some of your own."

The chief aga leaves the two girls alone in their room. They stand looking at each other for a few moments before either of them speaks.

"Welcome to Hell," says Aybige. "That's your bed, and the chest over there is for your things."

"Why do you call it Hell?" asks Safie. "And what happened to Sadika?"

"I don't know what happened to Sadika. None of the girls does. She could have been sold or transferred but I think she's probably dead. She complained too loudly, so let that be a warning. The devil prince is the ruler of our private Hell, and you, my friend, are now one of his playthings. Perhaps Sadika is the luckiest of the three of us."

At first Safie thinks that Aybige is joking and having fun at her expense. But Aybige's expression, and the heavy make-up over what could be bruises, warns Safie that Aybige is perhaps being serious.

"Do you think Prince Mustafa killed Sadika?" asks Safie.

"It's possible. If he did, he wouldn't be the first prince to kill a slave girl. But he enjoyed Sadika's fear of him too much to simply kill her. Her terror drove him wild with lust. Unfortunately our devil prince feeds on such emotions, and he doesn't know when to stop. I suppose he could have killed her by accident, but the last time I saw Sadika was when she was going to meet with the Valide."

The girls' conversation is interrupted by an aga arriving with some clothes for Safie. She promptly changes into one of the gowns and tidies her hair. Safie admires herself in the mirror. She feels a sense of beauty she hasn't experienced before. However, when she compares herself to Aybige, Safie silently admits that she will have difficulty in competing with the Aybige's natural grace and attractiveness.

But looks aren't everything. Safie has experienced enough of harem life to understand the value of intelligence and affability. Both are attributes which Safie has learned to use to good effect. Besides, it would surely be better for the two girls to get along and help each other out. Aybige looks as though she's in need of a close friend, and Safie is going to need help in adapting to her new role.

"What are we supposed to do while we wait?" asks Safie.

"When Sadika and I were living in the main harem, we helped with the harem work. Making and repairing clothes mainly. It wasn't much fun, but it kept boredom at bay."

"Why can't we do that now?" asks Safie.

"Mahidevran's orders. Prince Mustafa's concubines must be kept away from the other girls."

"But why?"

"So we can't show off our battle wounds and gossip about her son. That was Sadika's mistake."

"Well we can't just sit here all day," says Safie. "Are we allowed to go anywhere apart from this room?"

"I don't know. Apart from not being allowed to work and socialise with the other girls, nobody has said anything about where we can go. We will need to let one of the agas know if we are leaving our room for any length of time. If the devil prince calls for us and we can't be easily found, then we will be sleeping in the harem dungeon tonight."

"Then let's test the length of our leash. Let's tell an aga that we are going for a walk in the harem gardens."

Aybige admires Safie's bravery. It isn't something Aybige would have dared to do on her own, and Sadika was too timid to even contemplate such a move. They go to find an aga.

"It's raining outside," replies the aga to their request.

"We don't mind the rain," replies Safie. "The fresh air will make us more frisky for the prince when he calls for us."

"Frisky?" laughs Aybige when the two girls are walking through the garden. It's the first time in days that Aybige has laughed. The aga also thought Safie's words were unusual, but they were enough to overcome his objection.

"Well it was the only word I could come up with at short notice. I'm not as educated as you."

"Then we had better do something about that," replies Aybige. "If we ever succeed in getting the devil prince to stop treating us like tavern whores, then we each need to be able to hold an intelligent conversation with him."

Aybige and Safie enjoy a pleasant half hour walking through the gardens. They don't mind that their clothes are wet through. The walk is doing wonders to ease their own personal worries about their situation. Unfortunately, their moment of peace and quiet is interrupted by an aga who informs them that Prince Mustafa requires both girls to attend to his needs. They have been given only twenty minutes to prepare.

The girls are unaware that Prince Mustafa has noticed them walking in the gardens. The windows in the Royal Wing overlook the harem gardens and the prince recognised Aybige. He assumed the girl with her is his new slave. Mustafa has summoned them with the expectation that they will either be late, or that their attire will be below the immaculate standard expected of concubines. Either way, the girls will need to be punished, and Mustafa is looking forward to their chastisement. What an excellent way to break in his new pleasure slave.

Aybige and Safie quickly rush back to their room and change into clean clothes. By working together, they manage to make themselves reasonably presentable in the time allowed. If the prince wanted them to look perfect, then he should have allowed them more time. Nevertheless, both girls are very nervous when the aga arrives to escort them to the prince's room.

They arrive on time, so the prince can't complain about their punctuality. Their attire, though, isn't acceptable as far as Mustafa is concerned. He dismisses the aga before rounding on the two girls kneeling on the floor before him.

"You must be Safie," says Mustafa. "Stand up and look at yourself in that mirror. You are slovenly and a disgrace to the Imperial Harem. I will not have my slaves disgracing me by their sloppy appearance."

Safie does as she is told and stands in front of the mirror. Her back is turned towards Aybige, but she can see her in the mirror. Aybige looks fearful of what might happen next. The prince moves in front of Aybige and slaps her across her face. She lets out an involuntary whimper, but rights herself quickly and manages to hold back her tears.

"Stop that!" cries Safie without thinking. It's an unpardonable break in the accepted behaviour of a slave. A slave must never address a member of the imperial family in such a way. The prince turns towards her and for the moment is completely lost for words. Finally he reacts.

"Aybige. Go back to your room and don't dare to appear in my presence again in such a disgraceful mess."

Aybige hesitates as though she wants to stay and defend Safie, but a glaring look from Mustafa breaks her resolve and she flees to the safety of the girls' room. Mustafa turns towards Safie.


	3. A rebellious concubine

3\. A rebellious concubine

A slave who did what Safie has just done should be promptly packed off to the dungeon to await delivery of her punishment in front of the whole harem. The traditional punishment for disobedience is for her ankles to be bound to low bar and the soles of her feet caned by one of the agas. It's a very painful punishment which leaves few visible marks. But Mustafa is so confused by Safie's outburst that he doesn't know what to do. He's simply not been trained in how to manage a rebellious concubine. His inexperience gives Safie a chance.

"What makes you think that you've the right to order me around like that?" fumes Mustafa as he stands face to face with Safie.

He's close enough to strike her, and Safie stands ready to react if he does. She doesn't bow her head as a contrite slave girl should do. In her opinion, that would only invite him to hit her and make matters worse.

"Sultan Suleiman has gifted Aybige and I to you for the express purpose of educating and training you in the art of love," replies Safie. "We cannot do that if you keep beating and humiliating us."

Safie's statement isn't quite true. Mustafa has never touched Safie, and Sultan Suleiman knows nothing about Safie replacing Sadika. But her words cause Mustafa to pause for a moment.

"I have every right to punish both of you for appearing before me dressed like you are," replies Mustafa. "You know the rules of the Imperial Harem. They are very clear regarding the standard of dress required when a concubine is summoned to the Royal Wing."

"I agree that Aybige and I aren't dressed in accordance with the rules. But if that mattered to you, then you should have given us more time to prepare. You saw us in the garden just now," says Safie, noticing the view from the window and making an inspired guess. "You knew that we couldn't change and present ourselves here properly attired in the time you allowed us. You have set us up to fail."

"I will not have a slave tell me what I may or may not do," snorts Mustafa, deciding that he had better try to exert some authority over this situation.

"If you must punish someone, then punish me," replies Safie. "I was the one who persuaded Aybige to take a walk in the garden. Blame me if you will, but I did it for the best of motives. Aybige is a beautiful girl who has been trained to the highest standard in the arts of love and seduction. You have mauled her as though she's a backstreet whore. If you treat Aybige gently, then she will please you beyond your wildest imagination."

"I don't feel like being gentle," says Mustafa. "I'm a warrior, and a warrior doesn't need to ask for permission from a slave before he takes her as his prize."

"Think of Aybige as your lover rather than your slave. If you want to be rough during sex, then I will be a more suitable partner. As you can see, I'm not a delicate flower like Aybige and the other harem girls."

"Hmmm. I shall consider what you have said. But you must be punished for your outburst."

"If you insist, my prince," replies Safie, trying and failing to sound submissive.

Mustafa is suddenly unsure about what punishment would be appropriate. He could strike her as he had done with Aybige, but he doubts that would cause Safie to mend her ways. It might even appear as though she has gained a moral victory. Besides, now he studies her closely, he realises that she might block his blow and leave them both at an impasse. A physical tussle with the girl would be embarrassing and beneath his dignity. Mustafa is confident he would win such a fight, but it would be unbecoming for a prince to wrestle with a slave girl. If she was a male slave, and this room was the soldiers' training ground, then there would be no problem. Mustafa frequently wrestles with the Janissary slaves when he is training.

Mustafa realises that he rather likes the girl's spirit, even if it is highly irregular for a harem slave. Then he remembers his mother's warning that he must claim Safie's virginity before his father decides to reclaim the girl. Palace politics are still a mystery to Mustafa, but he acknowledges that his mother is right to be cautious. Safie is the third girl taken from his father's harem, whereas the sultan has only approved the removal of two. Fortunately it is the Valide who must deal with his father over the matter.

"You are a virgin, I presume," says Mustafa.

"I am, my prince," replies Safie, resisting the temptation to add that she wouldn't have been sent here if that wasn't the case.

"You'll not be leaving this room as one," replies Mustafa, trying to sound menacing, but only succeeding in making Safie smile.

"Is that my punishment?" asks Safie. "You intend to deflower me for my crimes?"

"No. Your punishment comes later. But you will understand who is your master before you receive your punishment."

Safie doesn't know whether to laugh or be serious. Mustafa's attempts to appear as the mighty overlord ruling her life are not very convincing. He's too young and lanky to be physically intimidating. What's more, he's too accustomed to resorting to violence when he wants to get his way. For that reason, Safie decides against ridiculing him in case he resorts to violence once again. He needs training and that is precisely what Safie intends to do.

"I don't dispute that you are my lord and master, my prince," says Safie. "I am merely trying to be a loyal slave. If it is your wish to deflower me here and now, then you will find me willing to play my part. Shall I lie on the bed so that you may mount me more easily? Or do you prefer to chase me around the room first?"

Mustafa is taken aback. Although his sexual experiences with Aybige and Sadika are relatively few in number, he has nevertheless always taken the lead. Indeed, he expects some resistance from the girl he is about to possess. Resistance that will drive his lust to a more powerful level. For the first time he is with a girl who isn't cowering before him.

"I'm a warrior," announces Mustafa. "If you try to resist me, then I will take you by force."

Safie thinks about what Mustafa has said. She has already offered to lie on the bed ready for his attentions. So why did he say what he did? Then Safie remembers that she played this sort of game with her cousins. Her eldest cousin also liked to be the dominant player in their games. The trick was to resist just enough to satisfy her cousin's need to control her, but no too much so that he became too rough in response. Would Mustafa react in the same way? Safie knows there is only one way to find out.

"They say that any trained Janissary can wrestle a wild boar to the ground," says Safie. "So subduing one helpless slave girl shouldn't be a problem for you. I bet you could overpower me with one arm tied behind your back."

"Somehow I don't think you are so helpless," replies Mustafa. "We shall wrestle as you suggest. But we shall both have one arm tied behind our backs."

To Safie this is simply a new variation of the game she used to play with her cousin. The winner got to choose the next step. At home the choice of prize was very limited since her other cousins were watching. Here there is nobody watching, so the winner can claim any prize ... in theory, at least. In reality Mustafa and Safie aren't equals. Safie can't claim any prize without Mustafa's consent, while he can claim anything he likes regardless of the outcome. Only his soldier's sense of honour will protect Safie should she win.

Mustafa quickly finds two short pieces of rope to bind Safie's right wrist to her back at waist height. He manages to do the same to himself with Safie's help. The two protagonists stand facing each other waiting for an opportunity to make the first move. Safie is at a disadvantage, since her dress restricts her freedom of movement. With hindsight, she should have removed her dress first. But it is too late to rectify that error.

Wrestling one handed is much harder than Safie imagined, and it seems as though Mustafa has had some practise. Even so, it takes him nearly ten minutes before he has Safie pinned beneath him. Even then she doesn't concede defeat. To her surprise, he doesn't demand her surrender. Safie's bodice has been torn in the tussle, and her firm and well proportioned breasts are on full display. It's enough temptation for Mustafa to abandon their game and move onto the next stage of his new pleasure slave's conquest.

He unfastens the rope around his waist, and frees his bound hand. He doesn't offer the same courtesy to Safie. Mustafa decides that until she concedes defeat, her hand will remain bound. Safie seems to understand this unspoken rule, but she still refuses to surrender. Besides, she's getting that warm pleasant feeling she last experienced with her cousins before her enslavement. The way Mustafa his staring at her breasts is having a noticeable effect on Safie. If only Mustafa was more attuned to Safie's mood he could have had her begging for his intimate attentions in a matter of minutes. But the opportunity is wasted and Safie's arousal passes it peak unfulfilled. Perhaps she should have offered instruction to the young prince, but this doesn't seem to be the right occasion for such a lesson. The prince had said that he will claim Safie's virginity today, and Safie wants it to be an occasion which she will remember with happy thoughts.

The prince pulls Safie onto the bed. He is forceful without being unduly rough. Safie wishes she had removed her dress earlier. The folds of silk are getting in the way and there are enough tears in the material to require hours of repair work. Not that Mustafa cares about that. In fact he deliberately rips part of her dress which is in the way of whatever he had in mind. In reality, Mustafa isn't working to any plan at all. The wrestling and his tacit victory have aroused him and he's trying to come up with a satisfying way to claim his reward. It hasn't occurred to him to ask Safie to comply with his wishes. He's so used to having to force his desires on his concubines, that the prospect of Safie might willingly cooperate doesn't occur to him.

Safie is also too inexperienced to know the best move to make in this situation. This is where formal training as a concubine would really come into play. Safie can only make something up since the prince is obviously in a state of bewilderment.

"Remove my dress," says Safie, unable to do it herself in her current position. "Tear it from my body if you desire."

Mustafa doesn't need asking twice. Had this been the Mustafa of yesterday, Safie's dress would have been ripped to shreds. But the small amount of respect that Safie has earned from Mustafa means he is more gentle in the removal of her dress. The dress is still ruined, however, but it might still be capable of being repaired. During the process of stripping her naked, Safie realises Mustafa has freed her bound hand. Instinctively, Safie reaches inside the prince's trousers and grasps the solid rod waiting impatiently for her attention. This is the reward her eldest cousin always demanded when he and Safie played their games. The prince's reaction is very different though.

Safie's cousin knew that he wasn't allowed to penetrate Safie's glistening nether lips, so allowed Safie's hands to do their devilish work. Mustafa has every intention of sampling the hidden delights of his ripe pleasure slave. Finally he realises the state of Safie's arousal, and he moves quickly to place his rod where it belongs. It's not a very long coupling, but for both of them it is a pleasurable experience.

After a brief rest, Safie tries to interest the prince in a resumption of their intimate games. But the prince has spent all his energies in one go. Safie makes a mental note to teach Mustafa the art of endurance.

"Get dressed," orders Mustafa. Having satisfied his lust, he is now in a much more serious mood.

"In what, my prince?" replies Safie, holding her torn dress up for his inspection.

"That dress will have to do," replies the prince. "Put it on and report to the aga in the corridor outside this room. Tell him you are to spend tonight in the dungeon. I will consider what further punishment you deserve in the morning. Now go."

Safie is slightly disappointed, but not surprised, at the order she has been given. She has taken some awful risks and now she must pay the price. She doesn't protest or beg for mercy. Safie knows that doing so would only make matters worse.


	4. Breakfast for Two

4\. Breakfast for two

Aybige is tempted to feign illness in response to the summons she receives to have breakfast with Prince Mustafa. She is angry with herself after yesterday afternoon's debacle. She should have stayed and defended Safie against the prince's wrath. Instead she fled like a scared rabbit and now she feels ashamed. Safie didn't return to their room yesterday and none of the agas will tell Aybige what has become of her. Only the prince can give her that information. It's the only reason Aybige summons up enough courage to go willingly to the prince's room.

Fortunately the prince has allowed her sufficient time to prepare herself properly. Not like yesterday afternoon, when she and Safie were in a no-win situation. She even has time for a visit to the baths. She would have liked to linger there, since it's the only place where she's allowed to meet and talk with the other girls of the harem. Aybige is careful not to say anything to the other girls that might get her into trouble, and she ensures that she isn't late for her meeting. An aga escorts Aybige to the prince's room and she is promptly admitted into Mustafa's presence.

"Good morning, Aybige," says the prince in a pleasant tone. "Did you sleep well?"

"Not particularly, my prince," replies Aybige, deciding she wouldn't take the coward's route and lie.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. What was the cause of your insomnia? I hope it wasn't my over-zealous interpretation of harem rules yesterday afternoon. I promise I will be more tolerant of your failings in future."

Aybige feels like screaming. The arrogant pig is trying to make it sound as though it was Aybige's fault that he hit her. But she steels her nerves and remains passive. While she's determined to show more backbone than she did yesterday, she doesn't have Safie's nerve to openly defy the prince.

"No, my prince," replies Aybige. "I am worried about Safie. She didn't return to our room last night and when I reported her absence to the agas, they didn't seem interested."

"Why should you be worried about Safie?" asks Mustafa. "She was with me when I dismissed you yesterday. Didn't it occur to you that she might have spent the night with me?"

"But she didn't," says Aybige. "The agas would have told me had that been the case. They like making us jealous by telling us when a girl is spending the night with the sultan ... or yourself. Besides, she isn't here, and your breakfast tray is only set for two people."

"Don't concern yourself about Safie," replies the prince. "She's enjoying her breakfast as we speak. She should be back in your room by the time we have finished this little meeting."

Safie is indeed having her breakfast, although her surroundings leave a lot to be desired. A night in the harem dungeon is something every slave girl tries to avoid at all costs, and rightly so. The small cell confining Safie is dark and cold, but at least she had been given a mattress to sleep on. It's the uncertainty around what further punishment the prince might decree which is playing on Safie's mind. For now, all she can do is eat what passes for breakfast in this dungeon, and try to keep her strength and spirits up. Only two girls have received harem punishment in the four years since Safie arrived. On both occasions the girl was caned on the soles of her feet. Afterwards, neither girl could walk for over a week. Of course, the prince may simply decide to have Safie executed. She hopes that the prince realises that disposing of a second concubine so soon after Sadika's demise would be difficult to explain to the Valide. Safie doesn't doubt that Mahidevran and Prince Mustafa are relying on the Valide's continued good favour and complicity.

Aybige is also faced with uncertainty. In her case it's about the prince's motives. She has never seen him in this mood before, nor has she previously been invited to have breakfast with him. Fortunately, her training as a concubine guides her actions. After all, this is the sort of encounter which she has been taught to handle and she applies every skill she can.

"Safie says that if I treat you more gently, then you will please me beyond my wildest imagination," says the prince while they are eating. Aybige nearly chokes on her food.

"I am your concubine, my prince," replies Aybige. "It is my duty to please you."

"I know all about duty, Aybige," sighs the prince. "My life is driven by duty to the dynasty. My question to you is, are you willing to go further than mere duty to please me beyond my wildest imagination? I warn you that I have a very wild imagination."

"I shall endeavour to do all that is necessary to give you the pleasure you desire, my prince," replies Aybige with as much sincerity as she can fake. In truth, she'd doesn't like the arrogant pig, and isn't looking forward to another mauling at his hands. She makes every effort to hide her loathing of the boy.

"I can see that you remain doubtful of my good intentions," says Mustafa with an unusual sense of Aybige's mood. "I admit that I am inexperienced in the art of love. My treatment of you so far has perhaps been too harsh. With your help, I wish to correct the few faults that I possess."

In Aybige's opinion, the prince has far more than a few faults in need of correction. But Aybige is his concubine, and she has no wish to suffer Sadika's fate. The prince has given her an order and she must obey.

"What of Safie, my prince?" asks Aybige. "Is she to help as well?"

"Yes, but in a different way. Safie has made me realise that the two of you have different skills to teach me. When it comes to what occurs in the bedroom, you are a beautiful flower who can teach me the art of tender love, while Safie is the warrior's pleasure slave to be used as a red-blooded warrior desires."

Aybige is both relieved and alarmed at the prince's statement. Relieved that it could mean an end to his rough treatment of her, but alarmed that Safie will bear the brunt of his violent passion. The prince hasn't promised to mend his ways ... he's simply offering to direct his violent tendencies in a more specific direction. Aybige finishes eating her breakfast. She then realises that the prince intends for her to start her instruction at once. She doesn't hesitate to direct their conversation towards sex, fearing his anger might return if she's less than perfect at her task.

By the time Aybige returns to her room she is feeling slightly better. She still doesn't like the prince, but he did treat her with some respect. The sex was much more to Aybige's liking, although the prince still has plenty of room for improvement. To her great relief she sees Safie has returned looking no worse for wear. If only the same could be said of the torn dress she was wearing yesterday. Safie is sat on her bed wearing her night shift, frantically trying to repair her dress.

"Safie!" cries Aybige in genuine relief. "I was so worried about you. Are you alright? What happened to your dress?"

"I'm fine," replies Safie. "A night in a dungeon cell wasn't pleasant, but I'll survive. As for my dress, that fell foul of our prince's lust. I just hope he doesn't call for me this afternoon. My only other dress is still wet from our garden walk in the rain. It'll be another week or two before I can afford to buy any more clothes."

"You still have your white and grey outfit," replies Aybige.

Every girl is given a white cotton dress with a long grey waistcoat when she first enters the harem. Apart from a white nightshirt, it's the only set of clothes a girl is given. If the Valide is feeling generous, she occasionally treats the girls to a replacement outfit. If a girl wants other clothes, then she must purchase them from the woman trader who visits the harem twice a week. Safie never contemplated saving for a silk dress while she was working in the laundry. It would take over a month to save enough money from her stipend, and laundry work would soon ruin anything so fine. As a concubine, her stipend has been increased, but so have the expectations placed on her wardrobe.

"Get the prince to buy you some dresses," says Aybige. "If he likes shredding your gowns, then make him pay for them."

"How?" asks Safie. "He doesn't seem to be interested in our welfare."

"He's inexperienced. Between us we must teach him to care about our well being."

"Alright. I'll do what I can. You seem to be in a better mood this morning. How did your breakfast with our prince go?"

"Breakfast was fine. It seems I must thank you for whatever you said to the prince yesterday. He's been much more gentle with me today. I just hope you don't regret what you've done. I fear he still intends to be rough with you."

"Well, I've never been taught the finer graces of being a concubine. Hopefully some of what you can teach him will rub off on his treatment of me. But how am I going to get the prince to buy me some more clothes?"

"Ask him when you are next with him," replies Aybige, as though it is the easiest thing in the world.

Safie remains dubious of Aybige's advice, and she continues with the repair work on her dress. The two girls spend the rest of the morning talking and gradually learn more about each other. Safie feels confident enough in her friendship with Aybige to tell her of Safie's true parentage, and of General Hertschell's trickery. She's taking a huge risk, but Safie knows her false story will be difficult to maintain with someone like Aybige living so close to her. And it seems Aybige and Safie are destined to spend much of their time together. Their conversation is interrupted when Mahidevran makes an unexpected visit to their room.

"I have just come from Prince Mustafa's room," announces Mahidevran. "It seems you have both served him well since yesterday morning, so you have earned these small tokens as a reward. I am very pleased with your work."

Mahidevran hands each girl some pieces of jewellery. Safie is surprised. It's unclear whether the reward is being given by the prince or by Mahidevran, and neither girl feels daring enough to ask. Safie begins to wonder about what the prince has said to his mother. Safie spending the night in a dungeon cell is hardly something that justifies her reward.

"My son tells me that you are no longer a virgin," says Mahidevran to Safie. "That is good. But remember you mustn't become pregnant. My son's position and wealth is not sufficiently secure to protect and provide for any children."

Safie looks at Aybige in complete surprise. Aybige is also taken aback. Neither girl has been told of this requirement before. In fact, both girls had assumed the opposite, and that babies ... particularly sons ... were desired in abundance.

"Forgive us, my Sultana," says Aybige. "But we haven't been told this before. We will see the harem physician today for some herbs to prevent conception. But it may be too late if we are already pregnant."

"No. You are not to mention this to anybody. The Valide mustn't find out that you are avoiding a pregnancy. This is to be our secret. If you are careless enough to become pregnant, then tell me and I'll deal with the matter."

Mahidevran doesn't linger and the two girls are left alone once more. Both look at each other for advice on what to do.

"How are we going to avoid becoming pregnant if we aren't allowed to take any herbs?" asks Aybige. "We can't ask the prince not to spend his seed inside us. He'll suspect something is going on. And I've no intention of telling only Mahidevran if I become pregnant. I don't want to end up like Sadika."

Safie can only agree with Aybige's concerns. Unfortunately she has no immediate solution to their problem.


	5. Bathing

5\. Bathing

Later that afternoon, Safie is still trying to finish repairing her dress when an aga tells her that the prince requires her presence in his room in an hour. This time the prince has allowed Safie adequate time to prepare. There's even time for a visit to the baths, which Safie visits without hesitation.

Since the trim on her other silk dress is still damp, Safie resigns herself to wearing her white and grey harem uniform. The prince will undoubtedly find fault in her choice, but it's the only one open to Safie. Aybige offers to lend her one of her dresses, but they both know they are too small for Safie's larger build. At least Safie can wear the jewels which Mahidevran has given her to brighten the plain looking outfit. Aybige helps Safie with her final preparations and she tries to calm Safie's nerves. She wishes her good luck when the aga calls to escort Safie to the prince's room.

Safie's heart sinks when she sees the prince's mood. He looks like a spoilt child in a sulk. Unlike Safie, he hasn't bothered to wash and change. Prior to her enslavement, Safie was accustomed to being around unwashed males. Her cousins never bathed more than once a month ... and only in summer. But Safie hasn't endured the experience within the last four years. Cleanliness is deemed essential inside the harem, or disease will spread rapidly. Previous sultans have lost large parts of their harems to rampant deadly diseases. Sultan Suleiman's first sons died from the plague, leaving Mustafa as the oldest surviving male child.

As far as Safie can tell, the prince has arrived straight from the Janissary training field after hours of battle training. His sweaty body and strong masculine smell are not entirely unattractive to Safie's senses, but his sour mood leaves a lot to be desired. He removes his top and Safie can't stop her heart from giving a slight flutter. The prince has many faults, but his finely sculptured body isn't one of them. He is certainly fit and healthy. It's a shame his attitude spoils the effect.

"Why the plain outfit?" asks the prince when he finally looks at Safie. He's spoiling for a fight with Safie and he's hoping she will rebel against his taunting. After losing so many bouts on the training field, he desperately wants to dominate his pleasure slave. But she is too intelligent and feisty to make it an easy task for him. Something Mustafa would appreciate if he would come to his senses. Safie has the good sense to remain passive. Her biggest problem is that she's not unaffected by the sight of the prince's glistening naked chest.

"You ruined my dress yesterday," replies Safie to the prince's question. "I've spent all day repairing it, but it's still not ready. My only other dress is still wet."

"Then you must get yourself some more clothes. You receive a stipend, don't you?"

"I receive a stipend of eight aspers a day, my prince. A dress from the trader costs at least sixty aspers. If you are going to tear my dresses every time we are together, then I'll soon be reduced to wearing rags."

"I see," replies the prince thoughtfully. "I haven't seen that necklace and broach before. Are you squandering your stipend on jewels while you should be spending it on new dresses?"

"No, my prince. Your mother visited our room today and gave Aybige and I some jewels as a gift," replies Safie, glad that the origin of her gift is now clear.

"My mother interferes too much in my life. Don't accept anything from her in future without my approval. Above all, don't obey any of her orders affecting our relationship. You and Aybige are my slaves, and only I can give you orders. Remove your jewels and place them over there."

Safe complies with his instruction, although she's far from happy at being deprived of her newly acquired treasure.

"Good. You can take them when you leave; providing I'm not obliged to have you spend another night in the dungeon. Now, I want you to bathe me. I've had a long afternoon training with the Janissaries and I'm in need of a cooling bath."

Mustafa points to a screen in one corner of his room. Safie looks behind the screen and she sees that the agas have brought in a tub and filled it with cold water for Mustafa to bathe. Unlike the women's communal baths in the harem, the male members of the royal dynasty bathe in the privacy of their room. Safie is uncertain what she is required to do. She's received no training in the expected procedure, although it's likely Mustafa hasn't been educated on that subject either. Safie will just have rely on her instincts.

Safie cannot afford to wet her last set of wearable clothes. She'll need to remove them, but she's in two minds whether to remove her clothes first, or wait until the prince is in the bath. She moves forward to remove the prince's trousers, silently hoping that her mounting arousal isn't too obvious. She doesn't doubt that this encounter will ultimately involve sex, but Safie wants to be the one in control.

At first Mustafa allows Safie to undress him without any interference. He's too tired and angry to feel aroused, although Safie's hands on his skin are having an effect. He suddenly feels uncomfortable at the prospect of being naked while his slave is fully clothed. Mustafa stops Safie before she removes his loin cloth, and instead has her undress before him. Only when she is completely nude does he allow her to complete her task of undressing him.

The sight of Safie standing naked before him has the expected consequences on his libido. His anger diffuses into lust and desire, while his tiredness evaporates like mist. Finally he steps into the bath and allows Safie to start scrubbing his body. It's a new experience for both Mustafa and Safie, and neither achieves the outcome they expected. In Mustafa's case, he wanted to prove his dominance over his pleasure slave, while Safie was determined to carry out her duties without displaying any emotion. In reality, their close proximity and Safie's wandering hands soon had both of them in a state of unintentional arousal. Far from becoming the dominant player of this game, Mustafa finds himself almost begging Safie for her wondrous attentions. And Safie finds herself only too willing to oblige.

Their inevitable coupling occurs sooner than the prince had intended. He is so far gone in his desire that he forgets his original plan for this meeting. Instead of putting Safie in her place, he allows her a degree of freedom to innovate in their games. Unlike Aybige, Safie doesn't hold back on the more physical aspects of lovemaking. She is much stronger than Aybige, and she can therefore play rougher games.

The bath water gets sloshed everywhere as the two impassioned young people explore each other's body with growing intensity. If Safie has remembered Mahidevran's warning about preventing a pregnancy, then she makes no attempt to comply. For a while, Safie is able to forget that the prince is her master, and she is merely his pleasure slave.

Eventually exhaustion overcomes the prince. The after effects of training with the Janissaries, and his frolics with Safie, force Mustafa to call for a rest. When he looks at Safie, the prince suspects that she's still willing and able to continue with their games. But the prince desperately needs a rest.

The water scattered all over the corner of the room gives the prince the opportunity to achieve his original goal of exerting his dominion over Safie.

"Mop up all of this water, slave," orders the prince in an imperious tone. "And be quick about it."

For a moment Safie thinks the prince is simply playing a game, but she quickly realises that he is being serious. Her aroused emotions return to normality with a thump. Safie becomes acutely aware of her lowly status in the prince's eyes despite their passionate games only moments before. It's something she shouldn't have allowed herself to forget, but their passionate interlude had overridden her common sense.

Safie feels like rebelling, but she doesn't want to risk spending another night in the dungeon. Not simply because of the discomfort of the cell, but the prince threatened to confiscate her jewels if she didn't comply with his wishes. So Safie meekly picks up a spare towel, and proceeds to mop up the pools of water on the floor. It's slow work, but Safie is used to long boring jobs from her time working in the laundry.

Only this is the first time she has worked while completely naked. After a few minutes she notices that her nakedness is having an interesting effect on the prince. He doesn't seem able to tear his eyes away from Safie as she works. Safie decides that she will use the prince's interest to get her revenge. Until now, she had been openly displaying her body as she moved from one pool of water to the next. The prince is clearly enjoying the view of her naked body. So Safie alters the position of her body as she works so that the prince is denied more than a fleeting glimpse of those parts of her body which attract his close attention. Safie secretly smiles when Mustafa leans over too far to get a better look, and he falls onto the floor in a very un-princely heap. He quickly stands up as sits back on his chair.

Safie pretends not to notice and continues with her task. Only when she has finished does she stand up and place herself directly in front of the prince.

"I have finished, my prince," says Safie. "Do you require anything else?"

"Not for now. You may get dressed and return to your room."

Safie dresses herself and reaches for the jewels which Mahidevran gave her.

"Did I say you could take those?" snaps the prince.

"Yes, my prince," replies Safie. "When you had me remove them you said I could take them when I departed ... providing you weren't sending me to spend the night in the dungeon."

Mustafa can't remember his exact words. He was angry when he saw Safie wearing something his mother had given her. All he can remember of that conversation was his annoyance that his mother is again interfering with his management of his two slaves. He doesn't begrudge either Aybige or Safie a few gifts, but they need to be his gifts. He alone will decide if and when his two slaves have satisfied him enough to earn a reward.

"I don't recall promising you that," replies the prince, refusing to admit that Safie may be correct.

"You did, my prince," replies Safie stubbornly.

"And what do you believe you have done to earn such a reward?" demands the prince. "Did you not spend last night in a dungeon cell?"

"I did, my prince. I do not question the sultana's decision or motives. She gave Aybige and I the gifts this morning after she had visited your rooms. She gave us the impression that we had pleased you and had earned a small reward. If she is mistaken then allow me to inform the sultana of her error next time I see her."

"That won't be necessary," replies the prince, deciding that he needs to tackle his mother's interference directly and not blame Safie. "You may keep you jewels. Now go."

Safie does as she is told and quickly returns to her room. Aybige is waiting with a worried look on her face.

"What's wrong?" asks Safie.

"The Valide was here a short while ago. She was looking for you. I think she has spoken to the sultan about your transfer to Prince Mustafa's harem and the sultan isn't pleased. The Valide is with Mahidevran at the moment and will return here afterwards. You are to wait in this room until she arrives."

"What do you think is going to happen?" asks Safie.

"I've no idea. Whatever it is, the Valide doesn't look happy about the matter,

"Perhaps she shouldn't have disposed of Sadika so quickly," muses Safie, convinced that Mustafa wasn't directly responsible for Sadika's departure.


	6. A secret revealed

6\. A secret revealed.

Safie and Aybige wait nervously for the Valide to return. Safie tries to pass the time by continuing with the repairs to her dress. Unfortunately her mind isn't on the task, and she makes very little progress. Similarly, Aybige resumes her embroidery, but she is also too nervous to do her work well.

Although it is Safie, rather than Aybige, who is the unwilling source of the drama, both girls are worried about what will happen. Aybige doesn't want to lose her new room mate and be faced with the consequences alone. Fortunately the girls don't need to wait for long before the Valide returns to their room.

"Are you, or are you not, the daughter of General Hertschell?" asks the Valide of Safie.

"Not," replies Safie, realising that if the Valide finds it necessary to ask the question, then she already knows the answer. A lie would likely condemn Safie to a far worse punishment than telling the truth. Safie tells the Valide the story of origins and her enslavement. Her secret is finally revealed.

"As I suspected," muses the Valide. "That is both fortunate and unfortunate for you. Fortunate, because my son won't publicly execute you in reprisal for Hertschell breaking his oath by resuming military activities against the Ottoman Empire. Unfortunate, because it means your origins make you an unsuitable consort for my grandson."

Safie doesn't know what to say. With the exception of the few women of royal birth, all the women and girls in the Imperial Harem are slaves. Many of the odalisques come from family backgrounds similar to Safie's own. Even the Valide was once a slave. It was the death of Sultan Suleiman's father which had triggered the Valide's freedom from slavery. Belatedly, Safie realises that family background must be an important factor in the selection of concubines for the royal males.

"I don't understand," says Safie, finally finding her voice. "Hürrem is Sultan Suleiman's favourite concubine, and yet she is of lowly birth."

"I'm well aware of that," snaps the Valide, clearly not wanting to be reminded of that fact. Safie has unintentionally hit on a raw nerve. Hürrem isn't widely liked among the concubines and royal women. Something which Safie had attributed to their jealousy of Hürrem's closeness to the sultan. Perhaps Hürrem's background also fuels that dislike.

"So what is to become of me?" asks Safie.

"What is done is done," replies the Valide. "Prince Mustafa seems to be very protective of you both, and his father won't listen to my advice. So, for now, you are to continue to attend to Mustafa's desires. You may use this room as your own, but you are no longer barred from socialising with the other concubines in the main harem. If you wish to sleep in the main harem, then you may do so."

The Valide soon leaves them. Aybige and Safie look at each other in surprise. They don't waste the opportunity to find the other concubines in the harem. For Aybige it is a joyous reunion with her friends. For Safie it's a chance to meet the other concubines and begin her education in earnest.

The routine for the next few months soon settles down. The prince often requires Aybige's attendance for breakfast. Once in a while, Aybige is called to his room in the evening, and on those occasions she usually spends the night with Mustafa. Safie never spends the night with the prince. Which is something which occasionally triggers a brief bout of jealousy. Safie is invariably called to the prince's room after his martial training with the Janissaries. Her routine with the prince is always the same; bathing the prince followed by some very physical rough and tumble. Fortunately the prince has provided Safie with some additional clothing, otherwise she could never keep up with the constant damage to her dresses. As it is, she spends a lot of her free time stitching and mending.

It's no secret that Aybige is becoming Mustafa's favourite. Something which doesn't surprise Safie, but still causes her a twinge of hurt and jealousy. At least the prince has learned his lesson and is treating Aybige more gently. As for his treatment of Safie, then the two of them have achieved a tacit understanding of what is, and what isn't, permissible in their games. Not that Safie is able to protest too loudly when the prince oversteps the mark, but at least he generally confines his actions to those he knows Safie will endure without genuine resistance. Similarly, Safie begins to understand how far she can rebel against the prince's dominance without resulting in another night in a dungeon cell.

Their pleasant routine ends abruptly. The sultan decides that Prince Mustafa is now old enough to take the next step in his training to be a suitable ruler of a vast empire. As is customary, once a royal prince reaches Mustafa's age and maturity, he is assigned to the role of a provincial governor. This involves him moving away to whichever province he is to govern. His mother, Mahidevran, is to accompany him to help guide Mustafa in his decision making.

The arrangements for Mustafa's departure are made with almost indecent haste. Even Mustafa seems unable to tell Aybige and Safie what is to become of them. With only two days to go before the prince's intended departure, Aybige is informed that she is to accompany the prince's retinue to his new home, while Safie is to remain in the Imperial Harem. Aybige is overjoyed, while Safie is downhearted ... not because she loves the prince or anything like that. The prince's continued rough treatment of Safie only proves that his interest in her is simply for some rough sex. But his departure means that Safie will probably be sent back to work with the other odalisques in the laundry. After the comfort of the room she has been sharing with Aybige, going back to where she was before is a huge backward step.

The day before his departure, the prince summons Safie to his room. They go through the same routine as usual, and Mustafa admits that he'll miss Safie's company. Safie tries to be unemotional about his departure, and she partially succeeds. The prince gives her some valuable jewels as a parting gift, but to Safie it only makes her feel like a courtesan. Nevertheless she accepts the prince's gift. Principle has minimal value to a slave. Safie consoles herself by silently reminding herself that in reality, that was all her relationship with Mustafa has ever been ... a lord and his pleasure slave.

Mustafa tells Safie that she is being transferred back to the main harem without any indication of what is to become of her. It's as though he's already lost all interest in her. Fortunately, Safie isn't left in limbo for long. The Valide calls for Safie as soon as she returns from her final meeting with the prince.

"I told you once before that your background makes you an unsuitable consort for a prince," says the Valide when she and Safie are sat alone in the Valide's suite. "At least my grandson finally saw the wisdom in my words and withdrew his demands for you to accompany him. Now I must arrange for your future."

Safie sits silently while the Valide makes a short speech about the different customs and rules which are guiding the Valide's decision about Safie's fate. Safie soon realises that she isn't to be returned to live and work with the odalisques. Her brief time with Prince Mustafa has elevated Safie's status inside the harem, so laundry work is inappropriate given Safie isn't guilty of any wrongdoing. Unfortunately, despite all the Valide's words, Safie is still unclear what is to happen to her.

"Firstly, we must check that you aren't pregnant," says the Valide, finally getting to the point of this meeting. "You are to continue living in your room until the midwife is certain either way. After that we will discuss whatever options are open to you."

Safie wants more information about the possible options, but the Valide refuses to go into more detail until the midwife is able to report on Safie's condition. Safie is unsure which outcome she prefers. The nature of the games which she and the prince played meant a pregnancy was possible but unlikely. It's as though the prince had listened to the advice of the Valide, and he regarded Safie as unsuitable mother for a young prince. A view which Safie knows that her lack of education and training only reinforces. But Safie also knows that Hürrem was once limited in the same way, and she overcame those obstacles ... at least as much as the snobbery of those of noble birth will allow.

Aybige comes to say farewell to Safie when she is about to depart. It's a tearful separation. Despite their differences, both girls regard their friendship as something special. Unfortunately they both know that unless both Aybige and Safie bear Mustafa a child, they are unlikely to meet again.

The midwife's initial inspection of Safie suggests that Safie isn't pregnant, but the midwife wants to wait a while before being sure. The Valide doesn't allow Safie time to mope about in idleness while she waits for the midwife's decision. Instead she has Safie undertake a number of training and educational lessons. Safie finds she has a thirst for knowledge, and more than an average aptitude for the lessons. Finally the day arrives when the midwife stops sitting on the fence, and tells the Valide that Safie isn't expecting a child. The midwife's announcement comes as no surprise to Safie, whose own body has already provided her with that information.

"You cannot remain in the Imperial Harem indefinitely," says the Valide. "You are Mustafa's concubine, but he has cast you aside. It's not an uncommon situation, and if there was a chance that he would reconsider his decision, then you would be kept here."

Safie knows that the prince won't be allowed to reconsider his decision while the Valide and Mahidevran influence his life. The Valide is getting old and may not live for many more years. Safie could play for time in the hope things may change once the Valide is gone, but Safie isn't certain that she wants to spend years of her young life waiting. Besides, there's no guarantee the prince will still want her by then.

"Then what is to happen to me?" asks Safie.

"You have a choice," replies the Valide. "Most concubines in your situation accept an arranged marriage to a suitable husband. It will provide you with security, and an opportunity to start a family of your own. Alternatively, you can be released from slavery so that you may return to your family. Your family will need to collect you, or alternatively you will need to find your own way home. I warn you that such a journey will be fraught with dangers for a woman alone."

"My family doesn't have the means to travel to Constantinople," replies Safie. "Are there any other alternatives?"

"Once you are free, you can do whatever you want once you are beyond these walls. The offer of finding a suitable husband for you is to provide you with an opportunity you might not get when you are on your own. I don't know of any girl who has been released from the Imperial Harem who hasn't either accepted marriage, or been taken back by her family. Constantinople is a dangerous place for a single girl to try and make a living."

Safie is granted a few days to consider her options. She uses that time wisely and studies what possibilities might exist for her once she is free. An arranged marriage doesn't appeal to Safie. She is too independent to play the dutiful young wife to some rich merchant in need of heirs. Having made her mind up, Safie informs the Valide and arrangements are made for her release. Safie is given a small sum of money in addition to the jewels and possessions she has acquired while she was Mustafa's pleasure slave.

The fateful day arrives. There's only a brief farewell from the other girls before one of the agas escorts Safie to docks where the ship on which Safie has booked passage is waiting. A few hours later, Safie is standing on the deck of the ship taking in her last look at Constantinople. She notices a couple of the male passengers are eyeing her with interest, but Safie has enough confidence in her own strength and abilities to be untroubled. For better or worse, her new life begins here.

[The end]


End file.
